Vazhakkai Podi | Raw Banana Podi | Spicy Plantain Crumble

Vazhakkai Podi is a traditional dry curry made using Raw Banana. Raw Banana is one of the common vegetable used in South Indian kitchen, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. We can make yummy recipes using Raw Banana like Vazhakkai Stir-Fry, Vazhakkai Podimas and many more. This recipe is from the famous book “Samaithu Par” by the legend Meenakshi Ammal. This Vazhakkai podi is much similar to podimas. In Podimas, we cook the banana, grate it and temper with green chili, ginger, mustard and curry leaves. Here in this recipe, instead of green chili, ginger, we are going to prepare a spice powder and we are going to mix that with the crumbled raw banana.

Tips to make perfect Vazhakkai Podi :

Cook the Raw Banana till soft but not mushy.
Crumble or grind the cooked Raw Banana. Use pulse mode if you plan to grind the raw banana
Adjust the spice level according to our needs for the spice powder
Temper in Coconut oil for more flavor

You can also try:

Recipe Card for Vazhakkai Podi

Vazhakkai Podi Recipe | Raw Banana Podi Recipe

Vazhakkai Podi is an very tasty and spicy crumbled dry curry made with raw banana. Raw banana is cooked, peeled and crumbled and then tossed to a spicy and flavorful tempering. A perfect accompaniment for Rasam, Sambar and any South Indian Main Courses

3 Raw Banana
1 tsp Salt (Adjust As Needed)

For Grinding

1 tsp Oil
2 tsp Toor Dal (Pigeon pea)
2 tsp Urad Dal
3 Red Chili
½ tsp Mustard seeds
a Pinch Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)

For Tempering

2 tsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Split Urad Dal
Few Curry leaves

Cooking Raw Banana

Cut each raw banana into 2 pieces. Heat water in a pan. Add the raw banana and boil it till the skin changes to black and the raw banana is cooked and soft. Flip the banana regularly so that it gets cooked on both the sides. We don't need very mushy banana.

Prepare Grinding Ingredients

Heat oil in a pan. Add urad dal, toor dal, red chili, mustard seeds and fry till dal turns light brown.

Grinding Process

Take the fried ingredients to the mixer jar and grind it to powder without adding water

Crumbling Process

Once the raw banana is cooked, allow it to cool off and then peel off the skin. Then crumble the cooked raw banana. We can grind it in the mixer also
Once we crumble the raw banana, add salt and the ground spice powder and mix well without mushing the vegetable

Finishing Vazhakkai Podi

Now heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add split urad dal and fry till the dal turns light brown. Then add curry leaves and give a mix
To the pan, add the crumbled raw banana and mix well with the tempering. Saute the podi curry for couple of mins and the switch off the flame

Serving Time

Serve the delicious Vazhakkai Podi with Rasam or Sambar or any South Indian Main Course and enjoy this stir-fry

Instructions with Step by Step Pictures

COOKING RAW BANANA

Cut each raw banana into 2 pieces. Heat water in a pan. Add the raw banana and boil it till the skin changes to black and the raw banana is cooked and soft. Flip the banana regularly so that it gets cooked on both the sides. We don’t need very mushy banana.

PREPARE GRINDING INGREDIENTS

Heat oil in a pan. Add urad dal, toor dal, red chili, mustard seeds and fry till dal turns light brown.

GRINDING PROCESS

Take the fried ingredients to the mixer jar and grind it to powder without adding water

CRUMBLING PROCESS

Once the raw banana is cooked, allow it to cool off and then peel off the skin. Then crumble the cooked raw banana. We can grind it in the mixer also

Once we crumble the raw banana, add salt and the ground spice powder and mix well without mushing the vegetable

FINISHING VAZHAKKAI PODI

Now heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add split urad dal and fry till the dal turns light brown. Then add curry leaves and give a mix